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A lovely woodland perennial with white flowers in spring. I grew it for a while in the shade of a wall but it died when I planted it under the trees.
I think it was too dry. Writing in the Journal of the Alpine Garden Society in 1940, Edward Lyttel says: "A charming Japanese member of the poppy family. As its generic name implies it has ferny leaves of dark green. In July there rises from the tuft six-inch spikes of dainty white flowers which last in bloom for many weeks. It is quite easy, but is not consistently floriferous, and is beloved by slugs; when it escapes these pests and does flower it is a sheer joy." Will Ingwersen says: "The only species in its genus, this dainty member of the Poppy family was first introduced from its native Japan in the year during which World War I broke out. In nature it is rare and found growing in coniferous woods in the province of Hanshu....As its natural habitat suggests, it likes to grow in semi-shade, or a ccol north aspect, in peaty, non-limy soil and is ideally suited in the peat garden...Anyone who is fortunate enough to posess this should take steps to increase and distribute it, for it should be in many more gardens than the few that it currently beautifies...One warning should be borne in mind. I have found that it is much liked by slugs and snails who seem to count it amongst their favourite salads." |
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| 4th June 2006 | ||